Stop the World
by Quantum In Me Fuit
Summary: They survived the Garuda. That should have meant a happy ending right? Bo and Lauren, along with the rest of the gang soon learn that nothing in life is that simple.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Stop the World

Pairing: Bo/Lauren

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Author's note: This is a sequel. You should probably read _Mad World_ first to understand what's going on.

Summary: They survived the Garuda. That should have meant a happy ending right? Bo and Lauren, along with the rest of the gang soon learn that nothing in life is that simple.

**Chapter One**

Lauren studied her reflection in the mirror, as the visage became clearer and clearer as the steam from her shower dissipated. Her dark eyes were hardened like she was looking at an enemy not her own face. Feeling the uneven skin beneath her fingertips, the scar that never quite healed, it was the constant reminder of that night. In had been days since that night, when Bo had killed the Garuda. What they had done was save the Fae world from a previously unconquerable evil. The high that had come with the victory had not yet left Bo, or any of them. The way the weight of the world had seemed to fall off of Bo's shoulders delighted Lauren, her lover looked as Lauren remembered and had fallen in love with.

Reaching for the clothes she had set hanging on the back of the bathroom door Lauren looked over her choice. This was the third night in a row that Bo had decided she wanted to go out. Lauren didn't mind though, sitting at home allowed Lauren time to think. And she didn't want to think anymore. Bo had insisted that they go to the Dal; Trick was throwing a grand party to welcome back all the Fae that had left the city when the Garuda had attacked. It was supposed to be quite the shindig.

Fixing her make up Lauren watched the bathroom door open, in the reflection Bo appeared in the doorway looking breathtakingly beautiful. To say that their relationship had been on an upward turn over the past few weeks didn't seem to do it justice. In the days that followed the victory found that they seemed practically obsessed with one another, never separated for more than a few hours. Lauren had feared that after a few days such a thing might fade. But it didn't. Every morning when she woke up she found that Bo was as dedicated, attentive, and loving. That never faded.

" You're beautiful." Bo complimented, Lauren's head bowed at the compliment with a shy smile that Bo knew meant that Lauren didn't believe her.

" Not so bad yourself." Lauren replied.

" You almost ready? Kenzie and Hale are waiting downstairs." Bo said, though taking her eyes off of Lauren was proving difficult. Lauren stood so effortlessly beautiful, her blouse hanging open revealing the silky smooth skin that Bo loved so much. Seeing where Bo's eyes traveled Lauren pulled her blouse closed, hiding the scar that she was sure Bo was looking at.

" Almost." Lauren answered beginning to button her shirt, the black fabric tailoring to her. But her hands were stalled when Bo's hands pushed hers aside. Feeling the back of Bo's fingers graze against her stomach while Bo _helped_ her button her shirt making made Lauren shiver.

" I could send them ahead. We could catch up with them later." Bo suggested pressing a gentle kiss on the nape of Lauren's neck.

" Twice this morning, once in the shower, and now you want to again? I think you forget that I don't have the stamina you do." Lauren teased pushing Bo away playfully to finish buttoning up her shirt. Bo smiled and wrapped her arms around Lauren's waist.

" You seem to keep up just fine." Bo commented.

" Let's go, they're waiting. Maybe if you're good I'll reward you later." Lauren said grabbing Bo's hand and leading them downstairs.

Once they reached the landing Lauren saw Kenzie hand Hale some sort of currency.

" Told ya the Doc wouldn't give it up." Hale boasted.

" Clearly you don't live with them. I worry for the structural integrity of this house." Kenzie said rolling her eyes.

" Are you going to go?" Lauren asked as a deep blush colored her face.

x x x x

The Dal was alive with activity, wall to wall people since the Fae had returned. Their usual table was reserved for them and Trick had their drinks sent over as they were sitting down. Once they were seated Lauren couldn't help but look around, feeling uneasy at being there. Blaming it on being a human in a predominantly Fae bar Lauren tried to ignore it. Trick had always welcomed Lauren they, and while she was a ward of the Ash no one had ever told Lauren that she wasn't welcome there Lauren knew that there were some who thought because she was a human she shouldn't be allowed.

" Hey guys, how's it going?" Trick asked once they were all quite settled. The barkeep looked over everyone, he'd been worried about them all when they had gone to battle the Garuda and was delighted to see that they had all made it out in the end. His eyes found Lauren's until she looked away.

" Since the Garuda's demise I would say boring." Bo said though the smile insisted that she was quite pleased at that fact.

" Thank the Gods for that." Trick said.

" Not the Gods. Bo." Lauren said her eyes shining with pride. Bo looked towards Lauren and smiled at the compliment.

" Lauren, can I have a minute?" Trick asked finally. Lauren was tempted to say no. But she didn't know how she could without raising the suspicion of everyone else. So instead, she swallowed the rest of her drink and stood, following the barkeep to the back.

x x x x

" What do you want Trick?" Lauren asked with no attempt to be cordial. Watching Trick close the door to his back room Lauren leaned against his desk and waited.

" How have you been?"

" I'm not really in the mood for this. What do you want?" Lauren demanded.

" You made a comment the last time we talked. Got me worried. What did you mean that you might not always be around?" Trick asked.

" How is that any of your business?" Lauren asked crossing her arms.

" Bo is my business. If you're going to leave…" Trick started.

" It's a little late to become all grandfatherly of Bo don't you think? She doesn't even know why you have such an interest in her."

" I'll tell her."

" Is that all you wanted? I have a date to go back to." Lauren said.

" Why are you so angry with me? I've tried to understand but I find it hard to believe that stopping a war is the reason that you can no longer spend even a minute alone with me." Trick said. The fact that Lauren had seemed to develop such a hatred for him was upsetting.

Lauren looked at the Blood King, she didn't know if she should be more upset that he didn't understand or that he suddenly cared so much now. Whichever it was it made her blood boil that he could stand there and ask her why she was so upset. Maybe he didn't get it, maybe he was incapable of understanding why she was upset. That thought of that only made her angrier.

" Why do you care?" Lauren asked finally.

" Of course I care. I care about you Lauren. Like family." Trick insisted.

" Family? _Family?_ I am a slave. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that I am other than that. What right did you have to play God?"

" Lauren…"

" I am so…sick of explanations of the greater good. I get it from the Ash, from the Morrigan, from you. Everything that happened is for the greater good. I am tired of my life being nothing more than a trivial after thought to you people. I had a life, a good life before it was taken from me. I died and was resurrected because _that_ would help the Fae. I have lived the last five years at the mercy of the Light Fae while most of them treat animals better than they treat me.

So, to answer your question Trick, I'm not alright. I haven't been alright for five years and now I'm just sick of putting up with it." Lauren finished. Trick looked at the human woman standing before him. He'd been naïve to think that all that had happened to Lauren hadn't affected her, especially all that had happened in the past few months.

" Lauren, I'm sorry." Trick said finally.

" Keep your apologies. If you want to help me, you'll write a new Fae future that I'm not a part of." Lauren said pushing past Trick and leaving his back room. Trick stared at the closed door for several moments processing what had just happened before he went to his desk and picked up his phone.

" Amara, its Trick. We have a problem."

Breathing in the cold night air Lauren felt it stick her lungs as she held her breath a little longer than she should. Exhaling a cloud of steam and watching it disappear into the night Lauren tried not to turn when the back door of the Dal opened. Her gut feeling was that it was Boo. It was a feeling that she couldn't really explain but she always seemed to be able to feel Bo when the brunette was near.

" You wanna talk about it?" Bo asked knowing better than to ask Lauren if she was alright. There wasn't a question in existence that Lauren hated more.

" I think I'm going to head home." Lauren said catching Bo out of the corner of her eye.

" I'll go with you." Bo said.

" No, you should stay. Don't let me bring down your mood. Go back inside and celebrate." Lauren insisted.

" I'm just going to worry about you." Bo commented.

" I'm sorry."

" Don't be sorry. I'm just saying that if something bothers you, it bothers me. It's part of being a pair. What did you and Trick talk about?"

" Stuff. It's…not worth getting into right now."

" Lauren." Bo warned. They had always had communication issues. Bo didn't want to relapse into that time when neither of them told the other anything.

" Go back inside Bo. I'll see you at home okay?" Lauren said finally. Bo reluctantly nodded and went inside. She'd cut the night short and find out what was bothering Bo.

Deciding to walk home Lauren walked with no particular determination or in no particular direction. She knew at least half a dozen different ways to get home and the darkness didn't pose the same threat as it once had. But being a weekend night there were no shortages of people on the street. Shoving her hands into her pockets Lauren paused, someone was following her. She hadn't been able to shake the feeling for a few blocks. Turning to look over her shoulder Lauren didn't see anyone behind her. But someone across the street caught her eye. Looking vaguely familiar but Lauren couldn't place it. She'd seen many hundreds of people in her line of work. The feeling of familiarity wasn't anything new.

Their eyes met across the street, for just a moment and then he began to walk away getting lost in the sea of people. But before Lauren could go after him a car pulled up next to her. One she knew very well. Stepping away from the curb as if she were contemplating trying to run Lauren waited for the window to roll down. When the window hummed with activity revealing the occupant of the car Lauren inwardly groaned.

" A little cold for a walk don't you think?" Amara asked casually.

" Trick called you."

" He was concerned."

" I don't want his concern."

" Get in Lauren, we need to talk."

Knowing that Amara wasn't requesting it Lauren opened the door and slid inside. Amara rolled the window up and they began to drive though she had no idea where they were going.

" Are you going to imprison me?" Lauren asked. Amara looked surprised at the question. The kind of surprise that Lauren knew you couldn't fake, the thought had truly never crossed Amara's mind.

" Do you need to be?" Amara asked finally finding her voice.

" It's how the Ash handles humans who may be a flight risk."

" Are you?" Amara asked barely recognizing the woman that sat next to her. Physically she looked the same, but her demeanor, her personality was all different.

" If I wasn't you wouldn't be here." Lauren fired back.

" I'm here because I am worried about you. So is Trick. This isn't like you Lauren."

" Sorry I haven't been feeling particularly subservient." Lauren said.

" Lauren what's wrong? I'm not used to seeing this much ire from you." Lauren looked at the Ash. Amara didn't look like her usual official self. Lauren guessed that when Trick called her Amara had been relaxing. She looked elegant as always but not in her business clothes. Supposedly Lauren should be flattered that Amara would come out for her.

Lauren watched the world speed by the window, the buildings blurring together. And the people, the people she both envied and hated. Oblivious of the Fae that lived among them.

" Lauren?" Amara asked growing concerned when she wasn't getting any sort of response from Lauren.

" I'm sorry."

" How are you and Bo?" Amara asked changing the subject. Taking it as a small victory when she saw the ghost of a smile dance across Lauren's mouth.

" We're fine."

" Just fine?" Amara pried.

" We're great."

" Good. And your new living arrangements? How is living outside the compound?" Amara had been reluctant to let Lauren move out of the compound. Not for the reasons Lauren accused her of. Amara was worried for Lauren's safety. Bo being unaligned created enemies. Lauren was aligned to the Light. And Amara owed her protection.

" It's nice."

" I think I might get more responses if I were talking to myself."

" Then I'd be worried for you."

" What I mean is, where is the passion? You are with Bo, the love of your life and you don't seem to be happy about it. Correct me if I am wrong but shouldn't you be over the moon or something?" Amara asked, having never been in love before the concept wasn't foreign to her.

Lauren didn't have many girlfriends she could talk to about this sort of thing. She once did, quite a collection of them, with weekly lunches. Amara and Ciara made up that group now and they didn't even talk about girly issues. The last time they had all had a conversation had been when they were trying to train Lauren to heal herself thanks to her new found Fae powers. Those weren't normal conversations that friends had. If Amara was what Lauren could consider a friend. There was little doubt in Lauren's mind that Amara considered, even if it was only in a small part, considered Lauren to be her friend. But it was like the way a wealthy person might befriend a maid or butler.

" I can't explain our relationship. It defies explanation and there aren't words for the things that I feel for her. She makes me feel loved, protected, cherished even. I see it when she looks at me. She could have anyone but it is me she comes home to. There is a bit of awe that I haven't quite wrapped my head around." Lauren said finally giving in to the want to tell Amara what she couldn't really tell anyone else.

" She is also very lucky. I don't know anyone else who loves and protects as fiercely as you."

" I'm sorry I've been in a…mood lately."

" You have nothing to apologize for. You've been through a lot."

" I think I'd like to go back to work. Start to put all that has happened behind me."

" Are you sure?"

" I'm sure."

" Alright."

Bo wandered into her bedroom a little after 3, having left the Dal after they had closed it down and talking with Trick and Kenzie. Still feeling the effects of the alcohol dumbing her senses just a little and making her skin warm. Seeing Lauren's sleeping form Bo quietly shed her clothes until she as only in a bra and her underwear and slid under the covers.

Feeling Bo next to her Lauren woke slowly, opening her eyes to see Bo watching her.

" Hey." Lauren greeted.

" Feeling better?" Bo asked. Her fingers running through Lauren's sleep disheveled hair.

" Much."

" I missed you." Bo said looking down at Lauren, the only word that Lauren could think to explain the look in Bo's eyes was adoration.

" It was only a few hours Bo." Lauren teased turning onto her back so that she could snake an arm around Bo.

" I know. That's weird right? That I'd miss you after just a few hours."

" No its sweet."

" Sweet? That's good right? I'm not becoming one of those obsessive girlfriends am I?"

" Where is this coming from?" Lauren asked squinting into the darkness to better see Bo's features.

" Kenzie mentioned how attached at the hip we are. I didn't even realize." Bo said. It had been one of the many topics of conversation while they were drinking.

" You're fine Bo. I like that you miss me." Lauren said.

" Okay. Good. Cuz I don't think I could stop. You take my breath away." Bo said pulling Lauren into a deep kiss.

" You're wearing too many clothes." Lauren insisted when their kiss broke. Bo helped Lauren strip her clothes off until there was just flesh on flesh. Both groaned happily at the feeling, it had been too long. Teeth nipped at each other as breath was only caught in short gasps. Lauren's fingers went to Bo's hair, keeping Bo's lips on hers while Bo's fingers drug teasing trails down Lauren's back.

Moving them so that Bo was on top of Lauren, Bo smiled when she felt Lauren's body move to accommodate her instantly. Their kiss deepened, parting her lips Lauren felt Bo take control of the kiss, dominating it. Their bodies moved against each other, no rush just the desire to enjoy that moment as long as possible. To feel their desire climb steadily until both were out of breath and grabbing at each other. Lauren couldn't express just how much she wanted Bo to touch her, each time Bo got close to any erogenous on Lauren's body she would then move her hand away again. Lauren strained against Bo's hands trying to get more contact whimpering when she was denied.

" You didn't think I'd make it that easy did you?" Bo asked placing gentle kisses beneath Lauren's ear.

" Just to take the edge off?" Lauren figured that dating a succubus, being a little sex crazed was to be expected. " How are you the more restrained one right now?" Lauren challenged.

" Half the fun is driving you wild." Bo replied sliding her thigh firmly between Lauren's legs. Lauren couldn't help but arch up to meet Bo.

" It's working. Touch me Bo." Lauren implored. Bo enjoyed teasing Lauren, bringing her to the edge only to stop, it always led to the best climax.

When Bo finally entered Lauren she found her lover was well ready for her. Parting her legs more, lifting one knee up to brush against Bo's side. Bo's kiss grew hungrier, more impassioned as Lauren writhed beneath her. Lauren's pleasure helping to fuel Bo's. Gripping at the sheets Lauren's hand tangled in them, holding them with white knuckles. Reveling in the sweet noises that Lauren was making, Bo looked down at Lauren her eyes glowing bring blue and yet still had the love and adoration in them.

As Lauren's breathing became more erratic Bo increased the pace of her thrusts. After a few moments Bo felt Lauren's body tense, back arched, and a pleasure filled cry echo out into the room. Bo didn't stop until Lauren gently pushed her away.

Nuzzling against Lauren's neck, kissing the erratic pulse point Bo waited for Lauren to regain some composure.

" I love you." Bo whispered, Lauren turned to face Bo, still battling to regain her breath.

Kissing Lauren again deeply Bo's body craving, yearning for release. Lauren's climax had only further enhanced Bo's hunger. When Lauren's hands began to roam Bo broke the kiss.

" Lauren I need…" Bo started but couldn't find her sentence. Every fiber of her being was fighting the need to feed. It was inevitable at this point, if they had stopped earlier maybe Bo could have postponed it. But now, when she was so close there was no stopping it.

" Do it." Lauren urged greeting Bo's lips.

When Bo fed that was in many ways the only thing that Bo needed. It wasn't always the most fun, but possible. As wound up as Lauren had gotten her Bo didn't need to take much before Lauren felt Bo shuttering above her, a primal growl tearing from her lips. Falling against Lauren still very much in the grips of climax Bo could have sworn she saw stars. Lauren's chi had always been different but this had been overwhelmingly powerful.

" Jesus." Bo panted as her body reeled from the experience.

Tangled together afterward, both still with a thin layer of sweat drying from their skin both were completely content to not move until they absolutely had to.

The next morning Bo watched as Lauren got ready for work, staring from the bed not even trying to hide her desire. After the night that they'd had together Bo wasn't inclined to let Lauren go anywhere that didn't include bed. Still, Lauren had insisted that going back to work was what she had to do.

" Don't look at me like that."

" Like what?" Bo asked feigning innocence.

" Like I'm taking away your favorite toy." Lauren replied throwing the last of her things into her bag.

" Well you are. But I'll forgive you if you go out to dinner with me." Pausing when Bo's request processed in her mind.

" What?"

" Come to dinner with me."

" Are you asking me out on a date?"

" I am." Walking over to Bo, Lauren leaned down over Bo and kissed Bo lovingly.

" Yes I will go on a date with you."

**Well, I promised a sequel. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I thought that Bo and Lauren, as well as the others deserved a bit of happiness. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! Sorry for the long delay I hate a bit of writers block that convinced me everything I wrote was terrible. Hopefully this longer update will buy your forgiveness :-)  
**

**Chapter Two**

Lauren looked at the clock on her phone, seeing it precariously balanced on the ceramic white sink of the bathroom she now shared with Bo. Bo had left already to work on a job she was hired for. In an earlier life Lauren would have found the situation funny, that she was sitting at home and Bo was going off to work. It just seemed so opposite of what they had both come into the relationship with. And it just helped cement what Lauren had been trying to avoid, it was time for her to go back to work. At least find something to occupy the time during the day when Bo was off solving some mystery or other. Though the thought of returning to her life serving the Fae was far from the ideal life Lauren now found herself wanting.

Amara had kept her word and hadn't rushed Lauren into returning to work but had been pleased when Lauren had called her and said she wanted to return to work. Still, Lauren was normally off to work so that she would be there by 7am; it was a schedule she had set for herself. But she had slept in with Bo, and hadn't actually gotten out of bed until 9. If she got a move on she would get to the lab probably at 11, a later time than she was used to but she still didn't find herself hurrying at all.

Walking into the lab Lauren had to pause, she was hit with a wall of familiarity. This had been her home away from home; she had spent more time there than she did in her own quarters. Looking over everything, nothing had changed since she'd last been there. Everything was in its proper place down to the instruments table that she always kept prepared and waiting just in case someone came in that needed immediate treatment and she didn't have time to set out the instrument table. It was a peculiarity that she had; most would call it anal retentive, Lauren liked to call it being prepared for the worst.

Her staff had been told that she was going to be returning that day, but the lab was mostly deserted. The only other occupant of the lab stopped working when he saw her walk into the lab. The expression on his face was one of relief and near as Lauren could tell, happiness that she was back. Franklin had worked at the lab almost as long as Lauren had, he was a skilled doctor but he wasn't as good as Lauren, he was still learning from Lauren as they went.

" Welcome back Doctor Lewis." Franklin greeted.

" Thank you Franklin. Did I miss anything important? Any follow ups I should know of?" Lauren asked flipping through the mercifully small number of open files that were left for her to review.

" Alright, thanks. I'll be in my office." Lauren said distractedly walking into her office and shutting the door before Franklin could say anything.

Lauren had barely settled into her office to begin looking over the cases she'd missed when her phone buzzed. A murdered Fae. Not as uncommon an event as the Ash would like to believe. Dyson and Hale were at the scene trying to determine the allegiance of the victim. If it was a Dark Fae then the body would be turned over to the Morrigan. If it was Light Fae then there would be a full scale investigation into what happened and the body would be given over to Lauren. For the next few hours it would be a diplomatic nightmare.

" Franklin, will you go get the van ready?" Lauren requested packing up her field kit. It didn't need it. The contents of the kit were kept as pristine as her lab. But she was stalling. She didn't want to go out into the world just yet. She didn't want to have to interact with other Fae. Especially Dyson.

" It's ready Doctor."

" Let's get this over with then." Lauren said exchanging her lab coat for her jacket.

The body had been found on the outskirts of town. Lauren kept looking at the window while Franklin drove. Neither talked while they travelled even if Franklin had a million questions about the Garuda and all Lauren had experienced. But he had been instructed not to ask. When they rolled up to the alleyway where the yellow police tape forced them to stop. Lauren instantly spotted Bo and Kenzie. Not surprised to find her lover there Lauren slid from the van and circled around to grab her bag.

" Hey." Bo greeted abandoning her conversation with Kenzie.

" Getting in trouble already?" Lauren teased.

" To be fair he was already dead." Bo replied innocently.

" What are you doing here? I thought you had a case."

" I do. I think he is lying over there." Bo said nodding towards the corpse. Lauren glanced over at the body, from a distance Lauren could see the blood staining the front of his shirt. Fae were still vulnerable to many of the same injuries that would kill humans, bullets, knives, even baseball bats would kill a Fae just as simply as they would kill a human. And from the looks of it this Fae had succumbed to a knife wound, or a dozen.

" You think?" Lauren asked ducking under the yellow tape.

" Well I was hoping you could confirm for me." Bo said watching Lauren get closer to the dead body than anyone would want to. It was one of the things that Bo admired about Lauren, fearlessness. The sight would turn must people's stomach's.

" Seems a little extensive, I mean there are at least a dozen knife wounds. Someone was very angry with him." Lauren commented pulling the t-shirt aside to get a better look at the wounds.

" What the hell did this to him?" Kenzie asked curiously.

" Could be another Fae or it could be a human. The who isn't part of my job."

Lauren continued her preliminary exam of the body spouting information to Franklin who was scribbling whatever he said.

" Hey Doc.' Dyson greeted having gotten off the phone with the Ash. They were officially taking the case since it looked like the Morrigan didn't have any interest in looking into the death of one of her kind. If it was determined that the corpse wasn't Light Fae then they would just dispose of the body and be done with it.

" Dyson."

" What do we know?" He asked ignoring the coldness in Lauren's stone. Even if it was almost blaringly obvious.

" He's dead. Been that way for at least a few hours." Lauren said focusing on the body instead of the shifter that was making her blood boil.

" When will you know more?"

" When I'm done." Lauren said standing and watching Franklin maneuver the corpse onto the gurney and put it in the van.

" I need a time frame Doc." Dyson pressed.

" You'll know when I know."

Bo watched the two of them in their standoff, even if they were speaking words that were in many ways cordial and professional that didn't change the fact that their body language was hostile. To the point where Bo half expected them to lunge at each other. Realizing that he wasn't going to get any sort of reaction out of Lauren he walked away.

" What the Hell was that?" Bo asked following Lauren to the van.

" Nothing."

" Bullshit. I've never been more worried the two of you would start a fist fight than I was just then."

" Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't have stood a chance." Lauren said not putting Bo at ease at all.

" Will you come with us to the Dal tonight?"

" I'll still be working Bo."

" Try. Please."

" I have to go. Corpse is a smell I don't want to stick in the car." Lauren said opening the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

" I have never seen her so hostile before." Bo said sipping from her beer looking up at Trick for some advice.

" She's been through a lot Bo. Maybe she just needs to vent a little frustration."

" When did I sign up to be her punching bag?" Dyson asked walking up to them.

" Given the bad blood that the two of you have I would say it's a natural choice. But I wouldn't take it personally. You were probably in the wrong place at the wrong time."

" Well I need my report and she hasn't been answering her phone."

" Like you would answer your phone when you're elbow deep in yuck." Kenzie said. She had to admit that she was kind of impressed with Lauren. Though she still couldn't decide if she was Team Dyson or Team Hotpants, Lauren had been beaten around a lot in her life and Kenzie was glad to see some back bone in the blonde.

" Lauren will get us the report. She always does." Hale said putting a drink in front of Dyson.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

" Tox screen came back. There is nothing out of the ordinary." Franklin said reading off of the chart.

" So we can rule out drugs." Lauren said leaning against the far wall of her autopsy looking at the body as if the answers might just spring out of the corpse. I had seemed easy enough when she had brought the body to the autopsy. A stabbing, cause of death established. But then she opened the body up and found that the internal organs were moved around. It wasn't any anatomy she was aware of, as far as she knew the species of the victim had the same anatomy of humans, including the location of the organs. Something had shoved the organs around.

" And Detective Dyson has been calling about the report." Lauren looked up at the clock, it had been almost three hours since they had retrieved the body and they were no closer to figuring out how it died.

" Send what we have."

" Should we fax it?"

" No, take it to the Dal. It'll be faster that way."

" What is he doing at the Dal?"

" That's where he's going to be." Lauren replied donning another set of gloves for yet another examination hoping she might find something this time.

" He's having a drink while you are standing over a body?" Franklin asked incredulously.

" Hardly seems fair does it? Go, and then go home. You've already worked hard enough today. Go home and I'll see you tomorrow."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Franklin walked into the Dal, and by the time he had gotten there the pub was getting more and more populated. Looking around the pub for Dyson or someone that he recognized her found them quickly enough, but instead of walking directly to them he pulled his satchel closer to his chest. Pubs were not his comfort zone, Franklin was by anyone's description a nerd. Going out to him meant going to a library and finding something new to study.

Clearing his throat loudly to catch Dyson's attention, Franklin watched as everyone in the small group turned to look at him. He knew all of them, but he doubted that any of them recognized him.

" Dr. Lewis sent me to give you this." Franklin said abruptly holding out the file that Lauren had handed him. They compiled what they knew, which wasn't much but they had to give them something.

" Where is Lauren?" Bo asked.

" She's at the lab. Working on the autopsy still." Franklin replied. He knew about Bo and Lauren, their relationship was well known throughout the Fae world now. It was the newest gossip of the Fae world. But everyone knew the myth of the Fae champion at that point.

" This doesn't tell us anything." Dyson said looking over the results that the two had worked most of the afternoon on getting.

" It's…well it's better than what we had when we found the body." Franklin stammered. Lauren had told him that he needed to stand his ground with Dyson, that Dyson was going to try and bully him and that he needed to just hand the results to Dyson and leave. Franklin didn't own Dyson anything.

" There is no cause of death." Dyson insisted.

" Dr. Lewis is still working on that."

" Still working on it? What has she been doing all afternoon?"

" Not been here drinking." Franklin said boldly, seeing the shock on Dyson's face Franklin smiled his confidence bolstering.

" Excuse me?"

" You expect her to work into the wee hours of the morning while you're here drinking your fill. Sorry but I hope that you have to wait, since she seems to be the only one working for you guys." Franklin explained, looking over at all of them and then looking at Bo. Franklin liked to think that he and Lauren were friends, or at least as close as one can be friends with their boss.

When Franklin left, he didn't realize just how truly he had delivered his message. Bo felt terrible that she was at the Dal now while Lauren was essentially doing her a favor to help her solve her case.

" I'm going to go to the lab."

" There is nothing that you can do to help her." Dyson insisted having already brushed off what Franklin had said.

" I can be there with her."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

" Bo? What are you doing here?" Lauren asked when Bo walked into her lab. She didn't expect to see anyone else that night and she would be able to figure out what the Hell had just happened in her lab after Franklin had left. She'd seen Reinald before, but there was an explanation with that. Lauren and Reinald were bound by the heart that was still beating within her chest. Seeing images of Reinald, usually during a dream or a not completely conscious state.

" Your assistant came to the Dal, let's just say that he had a good point." Bo replied sheepishly looking down at her fingers as they traced one of the exam tables.

" I don't understand." Lauren said.

" We were at the Dal and you were working."

" Bo, you should be with your friends."

" I don't want to be with them. I want to be with you. Even if it's here, watching you do whatever it is that you are doing." Bo offered. Lauren was touched that Bo was willing to spend a night with her watching her do her work. Knowing that Bo would be bored out of her mind.

" That is very sweet Bo, but really I'm fine here." Lauren insisted. Bo looked at her girlfriend, trying to see if this was some sort of trick, if this was a test that Lauren was telling her to do one thing but wanting her to do another. But she didn't think that Lauren was doing that. Lauren would work as hard as she could, even harder than she should to get the job done. It was just who Lauren was.

" Can I at least help with something? Maybe keep you company so you're not here alone?" Bo asked.

" You want to watch me work on an autopsy? You must be in love." Lauren said a bright, loving smile making Bo blush.

" Must be."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The two didn't get back home until well after midnight, Lauren wanted nothing more than to take a shower and wash the smell of death off of her. She was tired, her body ached from how she had to stand over a body for the past eight hours but her mind was still racing. She was supposed to be thinking about the mystery of how this Fae had died, but what she was really thinking about was when the Garuda had appeared before her. She wanted to talk to someone about it, but didn't know who she could talk to about it. Bo wouldn't understand, and it would only serve to worry her lover unnecessarily. Amara would read too much into it.

" I'm going to go take a shower." Lauren said while they walked up towards their bedroom. Bo nodded shrugging off her jacket and leaving it in the corner of the bedroom. As Lauren brushed passed Bo, Bo caught Lauren's wrist making the blond stop. Bringing their lips together in what Bo considered being an overdue kiss.

Their kiss started out innocently enough, but like most kisses between them it didn't stay that way for long. Feeling Bo's lips slide like velvet over her own Lauren shifted closer so their bodies were pressed tightly together. For all her strength that she possessed Bo's body was so soft, her curves so irresistible. Never one to pass up an opportunity like this Bo brought her hands to the back of Lauren's neck and tangled in the blonde locks that she loved so much.

Abandoning the idea of taking a shower Lauren was fine with losing herself if Bo. Feeling Bo's tongue sweep into her mouth and command control of the kiss, Bo's kisses were always bold and possessive. In moments like these when they were locked in each other's embrace Lauren loved how she felt like she was loved, cherished, and protected. Nothing could ever touch her when she was in Bo's arms. And she hoped like she could in some small way make Bo feel the same way.

" Still want that shower?" Bo rasped against Lauren's ear when their kiss broke. Lauren laughed softly and shook her head.

" I want you naked in our bed writhing underneath me." Lauren answered perhaps bolder than she would normally be. But the moan that her words elicited from Bo was very worth it.

" That can be arranged."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hovering just between sleep and awake Lauren felt Bo's fingers trace down her stomach, grazing just over her belly button and her body responded in kind. There was no way that she could go another round, but Bo was insatiable. Opening her eyes Lauren found Bo was propped up next to her looking down at her, bottom lip caught between her teeth in a playful way. Trying to see how much she could get away with, but if Lauren said so she was content with stopping for the night.

" We should end every day like this." Bo said like it was a grand revelation.

" Every night?"

" Maybe some mornings, if you're good." Bo said making it sound like she was making some grand concession. Lauren couldn't help but laugh.

" Don't forget when you sneak into the lab."

" Oh yes, those times too."

" You know it's more than just sex for me right? The sex is fantastic, but I would be just as happy spending time watching TV with you." Bo insisted seriously.

" I know. I love you."

" I'm never going to get tired of hearing you say that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lauren gave up on sleep after a few hours of restless tossing and turning, if she continued she probably would have woken Bo. Despite the exhaustion she felt, both mentally and physically sleep refused to come. Scribbling a note for Bo, Lauren dressed silently and went out for a run. It was the only thing that she could think might ease her mind. She felt troubled, but she didn't really know why. That was possibly the most uneasy part about it. Any time she was troubled before there was always a reason. But it was more of an ominous feeling.

The sun hadn't even thought about rising as she ran down the side of the road, only the sound of her feet hitting the ground and the crisp cold air chilling her skin as company. Bo's house was at least three miles out of down town, she hadn't realized how long she had been running until she got to the corner of a familiar street with a bakery. The smell of freshly baking bread filled the air, it seemed so normal and it made Lauren ache for that normalcy she'd taken for granted before.

Stopping at the corner and leaning against the brick wall Lauren tried to catch her breath, standing under the street light ever once and a while Lauren would see a car drive by. A man or woman forced from their bed at an ungodly hour when they would rather still be in bed. Lauren could still be in bed, she could be cuddled up with Bo after a night of love making. But a sickening feeling had forced her out of bed and out for a run. If only she could figure out what the feeling meant. She had never been prone to gut feelings, she didn't believe in them. There were no scientific bases to them. But now she was having a gut feeling and it wasn't a good one.

Lauren walked into the house and immediately smelled coffee, the lights were on indicating that someone was awake. Bo sat in the kitchen in her kimono waiting for Lauren. There was a mug of coffee waiting for her still steaming if she wanted it.

" Hey." Lauren greeted walking into the kitchen. Bo smiled at her lover, trying to cover up the worry that she'd woken up without Lauren.

" Have a good run?" Bo asked kissing Lauren.

" It was nice. I couldn't sleep so I thought it'd be a good idea. Why aren't you sleeping, it's not even dawn yet." Lauren asked knowing from firsthand experience that Bo wasn't a morning person.

" I was worried."

" You don't have to worry about me Bo." Lauren kept telling Bo that but she didn't think that Bo would ever believe her.

" I know."

" We could go back to bed if you want. I don't have to be at the lab until 8." Lauren offered.

" Nah, I'm up now."

" Want me to make you breakfast?" Lauren asked.

" Pancakes?" Bo asked perking up.

" Pancakes it is."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

" This is ridiculous it's been three days! How long does it take to do an autopsy and write a damned report?!" Dyson demanded throwing a pile of files off his desk, frightening more than one uniformed officer that was walking by him at the time. Hale looked at his partner, he knew that the tension between Lauren and Dyson was something that wasn't going to heal itself, and he knew better than to broach the subject.

" You know the Doc, she's thorough."

" But this is different. Usually she's butting into our business and we can't get rid of her. Now she's avoiding our calls, and not producing results."

" I think that you're looking for some kind of fault in Lauren. I thought you were over Bo and with Ciara now."

" I am, I just don't like it. I don't like not knowing what's going on with people close to people I care about." Dyson replied trying to look over his work to distract himself from thinking about the report he still hadn't gotten.

" What is with you and the Doc? I mean you have hated her since the moment that you two met. I don't get it. Lauren's actually kind of cool."

" I don't trust her. And there is something not right about her. Despite the fact that she hates me."

" Well if you want to keep Bo in your life then you better make your peace with the Doc. Otherwise I think that Bo is gonna drop your ass." Hale warned.

" I know."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was some time in the middle of the day, Lauren could tell that much from the position of the sun. She felt terrible, the kind of terrible that usually follows a night of heavy drinking and too many tequila shots. Her skin felt warm to the touch and her head felt like there was a jackhammer in it. Splashing cold water on her face in an attempt to shake the otherwise cloudiness of her mind Lauren looked at her reflection. The reflection looking just as horrid as she felt Lauren was glad Bo wasn't home to see her like this. Nearly doubling over as a wave of nausea it her Lauren braced herself on the sink. Pressing a towel to her face to dry it Lauren dropped it when she saw her eyes, black onyx orbs staring back at her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Lauren watched Dyson as he walked into the lab, quite the way that a deer watches an approaching wolf. Despite the outer calm, under the cool collectiveness was hostility. Lauren could feel it like an energetic spark through the air. Dyson was there for a fight. And this time there wasn't anyone to act as a buffer between them.

" You dare send a…a harpy to accuse me of laziness." Dyson growled.

" I sent him to give you your file." Lauren replied.

" A stack papers that mean nothing." Lauren watched the file and its entire contents scatter against the tile floor.

" Maybe you shouldn't be so impatient."

" You're going this on purpose."

" Doing what? Being thorough? Doing my job?" Lauren knew she had him beat. Her logic was deflating the bubble of anger that Dyson's head had been spinning in all morning. She knew she should have stopped there. " Or is it the fact that I take Bo to bed at night and not you? That it's _my_ name she screams? She chose a _human_ over the great and noble Dyson?"

" SHUT UP!" Dyson roared flipping one of the desks over, he had not come to fight. But he wanted to make it clear to Lauren that he wasn't going to let her get away with the disrespect he was showing her. He was Fae, and she was human. She had to be reminded of her place.

" Well that's it isn't it?"

" Give me the file. And I won't go to the Ash with your disrespect." Dyson said. Lauren felt a little disappointed that she couldn't coax Dyson into a fight. Though she didn't really know why she wanted that. Grabbing the finished report that she had every intention of bringing to Dyson when she'd gotten a moment, Lauren tossed at him.

" Now get out."

" You're not even worth it." Dyson said flippantly. Leaving Lauren alone in her lab once more. Full of anger and unsure exactly where it had come from. But that wasn't right. She knew where it came from. It had always been there deep down, every time she had felt the twinge of it had buried it deep inside and ignored it. Now she hadn't been able to stifle.

Lauren walked around the exam table, Dyson probably would have flipped that over if it wasn't bolted to the floor. Looking down at the mess of paper that covered her floor Lauren went to lean down to begin picking it up when a sharp pain ran through her stomach like a sucker punch in the stomach. Clutching at her shirt where the ache started Lauren drew in a desperate breath, moving her hand Lauren looked at her palm and found it red with blood.

In that moment Lauren knew what it was that had caused her such pain, the wound that had never completely healed. Even though Amara had tried once she had recovered, but the wound proved stubborn. It still ached from time to time but never like this, and it had never reopened and started bleeding. Pulling at her shirt, the buttons gave under her haste and her tank top was lifted to show her the wound. It had already stopped bleeding but the ache had gone deep within her and still resonated throughout her entire body even through her fingertips.

" Damn." Lauren whispered.

XXX

" What did you do into a pharmacy?" Kenzie asked eying the bags that Bo carried into their kitchen. All sorts of cold medicine and tissues, there wasn't a single cold remedy not in the bag Bo carried.

" Lauren said she didn't feel good. She even bailed on work. That means she really doesn't feel good. So until further notice I am nurse succubus." Bo said. when she'd woken up and found that the pace next to her usually occupied by her blonde girlfriend was vacant and the bathroom light on Bo had tried going back to sleep. Until half an hour passed and Lauren hadn't returned. Finding Lauren curled in a ball on the floor shivering Bo had literally carried Lauren back to bed.

" You know humans get sick sometimes."

" I know! But this is the first time since we've been dating. I dunno, can't I just want to take care of her?" Bo asked helplessly.

" Oh sure, but you are no longer able to declare yourself a badass." Kenzie said.

" Fine."

Bo ventured upstairs trying to make as little noise as possible, but as she discovered when she tried to be quiet every step she stood on creaked all the louder. Pushing open the bedroom door the darkness of it took a minute to adjust to until Bo saw Lauren's figure on the bed.

" Hey." Lauren greeted knowing Bo wasn't going to say anything until she knew Lauren was awake.

" How are you feeling?" Bo asked venturing inside as tentatively as one not sure if Lauren would lash out at her.

" Terrible."

" I'm sorry."

" Not your fault. Human's get sick Bo. You don't have to worry." Lauren said sitting up and regretting it the moment her head started to spin.

" So Kenzie tells me. But you don't feel good. And that worries me." Bo said stopping at the edge of the bed. Lauren switched on the lamp sure she looked absolutely dreadful, but Bo had seen her worse so she decided to bite the bullet and let Bo see her in all her cold-ridden glory.

" I didn't mean to worry you."

" I went to the pharmacy." Bo said holding up the bag for Lauren to see. Lauren couldn't help but laugh. There was no way she would need everything that was in the bag.

" Did you buy one of everything?"

" Maybe."

" Babe, you're sweet." Bo beamed at the compliment. " But we could open a hospital with what you bought."

" Okay, I may have gone a little overboard." Bo admitted. " Do you need anything?"

" Just keep me company? I hate being alone when I'm sick."

" I can do that." Bo said sitting on the bed.

" Bet this wasn't what you meant when you said you would be fine doing other things aside from sex." Lauren offered.

" Well I don't like you sick. But…I'm not opposed to any quality time."

Lauren dozed in and out of consciousness cuddling up next to Bo using Bo as a pillow in many cases. When she was awake she and Bo would talk about Bo's day, or the cases that Bo was working on. It seemed so normal, so domestic that Lauren allowed that illusion to swallow them up. They were a normal couple, even if it was only for the brief hours that they were lying together, or the days that she was sick. It surprised Lauren how much she yearned for the normalcy to last.

She had never been delusional enough to think that what she had Bo had would be like the relationships she had dreamt of when she was little. But this taste of what they could have if they were so tangled up in Fae business was like a delightful tease that stabbed straight to the heart.

" What's wrong?" Bo had felt Lauren's entire body tense in her arms, the blond so rigid Bo was actually worried Lauren might break something. Watching, confusion marring her face as Lauren sat up but kept her back to Bo.

" Nothing." It was an obvious lie, and one that Lauren didn't even hope would be convincing.

" Lauren." Bo's tone begged for Lauren to confide in her, but how could Lauren? How could she tell the woman that she loved that the one thing that Lauren wanted most was for them to be able to forget everything that Bo was? For the first year that they had known each other Lauren had tried to convince Bo that she wasn't a monster. That she was the epitome of perfection for her species. If Bo would only give the Fae a chance she would see that they weren't all bad. And yet now she wanted to run away from it all. It was just a fantasy, one that had no hope of coming true.

" Sometimes I wish it could be this simple. Just us, no one else. Except maybe Kenzie." Lauren said tactfully leaving out the darker places her mind went.

" That sounds nice." Bo replied, running her fingers along Lauren's spine. If Lauren weren't still sick she might have found the touch arousing.

" It does, doesn't it?" Lauren said looking back at Bo, wondering how someone could look so effortlessly beautiful.

" But you love it too much."

" What?"

" Being the doctor to the Fae. Having everyone marvel at your brilliance. Answering the unanswerable questions." Bo did mean what she said as a compliment though Lauren couldn't take it as one. Not anymore. Not with the growing hatred she had for all things Fae.

" I did." Hearing the hesitance in Lauren's voice Bo sat up.

" Talk to me." Lauren couldn't help but laugh, even if there was no humor in it. That may as well have been their motto for as many times as they had said it to one another.

" When I entered the Ash's service I knew that the only way that I was going to stay alive in this world was that I had to be the best, I had to be the smartest, and I had to do what others couldn't. Now I've done all that, and I've found myself wanting."

" Wanting what?"

" Wanting to be with you. And not be bound by this." Pulling on the pendant Lauren felt the clasp give way and it fell into her hand.

" So ask Amara to give you freedom."

" You know I can't." Lauren said setting her necklace on the nightstand. It was only with Bo that she felt comfortable enough to take the necklace off, anywhere else and it would be seen as an act of rebellion against the Ash. She could be killed for it.

" Then I'll do it for you. You shouldn't have to be a slave anymore Lauren." Bo hated the thought of it, the thought that someone laid claim to Lauren made her blood boil. Lauren belonged to her, and her alone.

" Listen to us, talking about things that can't be. It must be the fever talking." Lauren said leaning back into Bo, bringing them both down onto the comfortable bed.

XXX

After the third day of being practically bedridden Lauren forced herself to get up, her body still ached in ways that convinced her she was still ill but her fever had broken. She even convinced Bo that she should be allowed to go back to work if she promised to go easy on herself. Lauren worked from her quarters on the Ash's compound, it wasn't the lab but it was her office and she liked the familiarity of it. Though it felt strange to be there when she no longer considered it home.

She had messages waiting for her on her phone, the first and most pressing was a request from the Ash that she join Amara in the Ash's throne room as soon as possible. It wasn't an urgent matter or she would have been summoned by one of the Ash's guard, still she couldn't put off meeting Amara any longer.

" You look like you're feeling better." Amara commented when Lauren walked into the room. Immediately Lauren's eyes went to the throne, which she found puzzlingly empty. Amara hated the throne, and she loathed sitting in it unless she had to. Instead she sat at the desk behind it where she conducted most of her work.

" I'm on the mend I suppose." Lauren replied casually ascending the stone stairs so that she could better see Amara.

" So which do you want to talk about first? The unpleasant personal stuff, or the unpleasant business stuff?" Amara asked glancing down at the papers in front of her.

" Personal." There was still a lingering fear that the High Elders would try and break her and Bo apart, if they were going to try she wanted to know.

" I had a rather disturbing conversation with Dyson the other day." Amara began.

" Of course you did."

" Withholding information on a case? That's not like you Lauren."

" Is that what he's saying? I wasn't _withholding _anything. He stormed into my lab and demanded that I give it to him. Which I did. I hadn't had a chance to go and give him the file myself." Lauren argued.

" He tells a different version. I know that the two of you have a complicated history but I cannot have the two of you taking every opportunity to get into a fight if you are going to be working together on future cases." Amara insisted.

" Then tell him to stop telling me how to do my job." Sensing she wasn't going to get anywhere with this Amara sighed defeated. As much as she would like to force Lauren and Dyson to get along she doubted very much that even she had the power to do that. They would quarrel until the end of the world, even after all they had gone through together. It was pointless to try and ask why.

" On to the business stuff then." Amara said looking far most distressed.

" What is it?"

" The Morrigan has requested to see you." It took several minutes for the shock to wear off and for Lauren to begin to wrap her mind around what Amara had just said. The Morrigan wanted to see her, never had any statement filled Lauren with more fear and uncertainty than that.

" Why?"

" She didn't say. She requested it, and she said that it would be an act of good faith if I allowed you to go to her." Amara said showing Lauren the letter that Evony had sent, the signature at the bottom was even penned by the Morrigan it wasn't a stamp like Lauren was expecting.

" When?"

" I haven't agreed yet, the idea of sending you over to see the Morrigan doesn't sit well with me. Especially if she won't tell me why she wants to see you. The danger alone is more than I want to think about. She knows just as I do how close you and Bo are, if she wanted to hurt Bo…"

" Then the smartest thing to do is hurt me. But if she wanted to harm me then why would she send you a request? She could just have one of her underlings attack me on the street."

" True. Still, I don't like it." Amara said.

" What's to like, they're Dark Fae. We're not supposed to like them." Lauren offered with a tentative smile. Amara looked at Lauren and shared the brief smile.

" Would you want to see her?"

" To know what she wants."

" I'll set it up, I don't like the idea of you going alone."

" Is that what she requested?" Amara nodded.

" Let me know when."

" You cannot speak a word of this to anyone, especially Bo." Amara said, there was no mistaking the command in her tone. She was not saying this as a friend, she was commanding Lauren as the Ash not to tell anyone.

" In the name of the Ash, it is done." The familiar words spoken in such an icy tone surprised Amara. Lauren had been given the authority to speak for the Ash on many different occasions. The pendant she wore around her neck was as much a symbol of that authority as it was a reminder of her place in the Fae world. But still, Amara had never expected to hear those words come from Lauren. Nor see Lauren turn and leave without another word.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it's been so long since I last updated, I've been struggling with a bit of writers block. I hope you all enjoy.**

Chapter Four

Lauren heard the heated debate between the Ash and the Morrigan even from outside the throne room. They had narrowed down a day, but it was the circumstances of the hand off and the small details that still needed to be ironed out. The Morrigan would not allow Lauren to be accompanied by anyone. Evony wanted the visit to be held under the purview of doctor's confidentiality. But she would not say more on the matter. Amara was no fool, as much as she craved peace with the Dark, to steady the shaky alliance that had formed when they had fought the Garuda. Even then, sending Lauren into the Morrigan's grasp on an act of good faith was more than Amara was willing to do.

" It's not worth it." Amara said finally when she gave up on the debate after hanging up and all but collapsing back into her chair.

" Still no idea what she wants?" Lauren asked crossing her arms more as a comforting gesture to herself than an aggressive one.

" She refuses. I don't understand it."

" I thought you had decided to send me."

" I thought I had too."

" When you decide my fate let me know." Lauren did not miss the look of shock that passed over Amara's face.

" Lauren wait." Amara stood and walked quickly to Lauren half expecting Lauren to continue walking. But rejoiced in the small victory that Lauren stopped.

" You're angry with me."

" Angry at being used like a pawn. What would give you that idea?"

" You are not a pawn."

" So you keep saying. And yet here you are debating when and how I am to go and serve the Morrigan." Lauren insisted.

" For peace…"

" I HAVE DONE ENOUGH FOR PEACE!" Lauren's voice echoed in the throne room. Amara's eyes went wide as she took a step backward in shock of it. She didn't know that Lauren yelled. " I have done enough for peace." Lauren restated.

" I know you have."

" Do you?" Lauren challenged looking at Amara, her dark eyes pinning Amara, daring her to answer. She had died for peace, she'd risked her own life repeatedly and watched people she loved risk their lives.

" What are you really asking me for Lauren?" Amara wanted to hear Lauren say the words, make the official request for her freedom. Lauren's freedom was well within Amara's authority to grant.

" Just…call me when you've figured all this out."

Lauren wasn't stopped as she walked out of the Ash's compound, she didn't really know where she wanted to go. She'd yelled at the Ash, she'd gotten so angry that the thought of striking Amara had actually entered her mind. She didn't need anyone to tell her that this wasn't her, something was wrong and making her act impulsively. But it didn't frighten her like she thought it should. She enjoyed the feeling of it, she felt empowered where she had before felt like she couldn't stand up to the Ash, or even her friends. All the emotions that she had been feeling was bubbling to the surface after being suppressed for so long and now she was feeling them all as fresh and as powerful as if she had never felt them before.

Fishing for her phone she dialed while she walked to her car, the familiar number appeared on her phone and she pressed dial and waited anxiously for it to ring. When the line picked up Lauren smiled.

" Bo? What're you doing right now?" Lauren asked getting into her car and starting the engine.

" Working a case with Kenzie, why what's up?" Bo asked.

" Can you spare say a half an hour. It's important." Lauren said.

" Of course, where?"

" Home."

" I'll see you in a bit."

Lauren arrived back at the house just before Bo did, shrugging off her jacket and throwing her bag onto the table. Just as her back hit the couch Bo walked into the front door looking anxiously around for Lauren. When she spotted Lauren, Lauren saw relief flood the succubus' features.

" Thank God, I thought something was wrong." Bo said. Lauren smiled sheepishly, she didn't realize how given all that they had been through Bo might take Lauren's call as meaning there was something wrong.

" Sorry, I guess I should have said it wasn't an emergency." Lauren offered.

" No, it's okay. What's…" Bo's question cut off by Lauren's lips, the kiss surprising Bo in its suddenness and the passion behind it. Instinctively wrapping her arms around Lauren's waist Bo closed her eyes savoring the silkiness of Lauren's lips her hunger flaring.

Groaning when her back hit the wall Lauren bit playfully into Bo's bottom lip repaying the roughness Lauren heard Bo growl against her lips. Making quick work of Bo's jacket Lauren tossed it across the room, hearing it hit the floor and take something breakable with it. Breaking their kiss just long enough to make sure that it was nothing too important that broke Lauren felt Bo's lips kiss down her neck and quickly forgot what she was looking for. Bo's hands moved to the back of Lauren's thighs and lifted the blonde up against the wall so Lauren had to wrap her lets around Bo's waist.

" Bedroom?" Bo asked, her breath hot against Lauren's ear before nipping at the skin behind Lauren's ear. Lauren arched into Bo, a loud moan tearing from her throat. Her body burning with arousal, she could barely contain it.

" Too far." Lauren replied bringing their lips together again this time dominating the kiss with her tongue sweeping into Bo's mouth stealing the brunette's breath.

" Couch?" Bo rasped, she really wanted to get the clothes off of Lauren but their position made it quite difficult.

" Floor." Was Lauren's answer as her hand found Bo's breast through the thin material of her tank top.

The two did not hit the ground in any sort of graceful manner, but it didn't matter, desire and arousal clouded their minds that any sort of pain was easily forgotten or served to heighten the pleasure of the moment. Their bodies pressed so tightly together, both trying to take control, it looked more like a wrestling match than a courtship. Finally, Bo managed to pin Lauren's arms above her head and looked down at the blonde triumphantly. But the smug grin was quickly dropped when Lauren lifted her leg so that her thigh brushed up against Bo, just the smallest pressure between Bo's legs and Lauren saw Bo crumble. Her hold released on her hand Lauren flipped them so that she was on top and didn't give Bo the opportunity to supplant her.

XXXXXX

" That was…" Bo stopped, she didn't know if she could find the words to explain what had just happened. Her body was still humming from the multiple orgasms she'd just experienced under Lauren's skilled hands and mouth. Looking over at her lover who had also sat up and begun collecting her clothes Bo saw the bright red marks that had been made by her fingernails, and the bruises left by her teeth. She would have felt contrite about it if Lauren weren't smiling the way that she was.

" Amazing?" Lauren offered while she grabbed her bra and put it on.

" Is one of the words I would use to describe that." Bo replied. Their love making had never been rough like this before, usually sensual and loving was how Lauren preferred it. Bo had accepted it, although sometimes she liked it a little rougher. This was, in her opinion mind blowing. Feeling Lauren and seeing Lauren while they were fiercely battling for dominance had driven Bo mad with desire.

" I'm going to have bruises in some very interesting places later." Lauren commented pressing a gentle kiss to Bo's shoulder.

" Your fault for not wanting to go upstairs."

" I don't think that would have stopped you. I kinda like it though."

" Not that I'm not extremely glad that this happened, but what prompted it? Playing hooky from work for some sexy time? Bad Dr. Lewis." Bo pretended to scold but the grin on her face betrayed her seriousness.

" I don't know, I just wanted to be with you. So I called you, one of the perks of having a girlfriend. Sex any time I want it." Lauren commented, her expression stoic until she saw the shock on Bo's face before smiling. It was true Lauren could often times take herself way to seriously, Bo was glad that over the course of their budding relationship she got to see the lighter side of Lauren Lewis. Hearing Lauren talk about sex so openly was still new.

" I feel so used." Bo exclaimed placing her hand over her heart in faux shock.

" I could make it up to you." Lauren offered looking at the stairs that would lead up to their bedroom.

" I have no doubt that you could, but if I don't get back to Kenzie she will come in here and if she finds out I ditched her in the middle of a case to have sex with you she might just prevent me from having sex for the rest of my life." Bo said beginning to put her clothes on.

X X X

" Are we talking about the same Lauren, the live by the rules and die by the rules Lauren here?" Kenzie asked after Bo had relayed the details of what Lauren had called her home for. Sparing her best friend some of the more graphic details.

" Yeah. I think I'm rubbing off on her or something." Bo said, it was strangely out of character for Lauren to skip work just for sex. But at the same time Bo wasn't going to complain. Just thinking about it again made Bo's libido shoot through the roof.

" Okay that is not a mental image I wanted thanks." Kenzie said closing her eyes for dramatic effect.

" Can we finish this case so that we can get paid and I can go home to be with my girlfriend please?"

" Hey, you're the one that is having sexy fantasies about her after you just finished getting your rocks off." For as much shit as she liked to give Bo, Kenzie was glad to see Bo finally happy. The way that Bo smiled reflected just how happy Lauren made her. And if that meant that they would continue to have their sexy time then Kenzie would invest in some industrial strength ear plugs and A LOT of video games.

X X X

" The hand off will be at the Dal." Amara said when she walked into Lauren's lab, finding Lauren at her desk. Lauren looked up at the Ash without saying anything, and continued to listen. " You'll be taken to see the Morrigan at her pent house and when you are done they will bring you back to the Dal."

" Why the Dal?"

" Neutral territory. It's the best place to do it."

" What about the glass factory? Or some place on the water front. If you wanted to keep this hidden from Bo then broadcasting this in front of her grandfather is not the smartest idea. Hell, Bo will probably be there." Lauren offered.

" It's what the Morrigan wants."

" Since when is this all about what the Morrigan wants? What are you getting out of loaning me to her? I hope it's something good."

" I get the information that you bring back to me, why she wants to see you, what she is up to."

" If what she wants to see me about is medical then she's right, I won't be able to tell you what she talked to me about." Lauren stated, not that she needed to remind Amara of her duty as a physician.

" You took an oath to the Light to that comes first." Lauren sighed, displeased with the answer that she got although she wasn't sure how she could have expected another one.

" Is there anything else?"

" That's all."

X X X

Lauren sat in the back of the car for what felt like an eternity, she looked out the tinted windows of the Ash's car at the Dal. Dreading the moment when she had to go in, probably because she knew that Bo was there, with Kenzie and probably everyone else she knew. It was their hang out, especially on nights when Lauren had to work late since Bo knew that Lauren had a dislike for the pub. In the few texts that she had exchanged with Bo since getting the information about the hand off she had deduced that Bo would be at the Dal and it only filled her more with dread. Bo wasn't going to like seeing Lauren go off with the Morrigan's brute squad.

" It's almost time." Lauren looked up, shaken out of her thoughts while her door was opened for her. Amara had sent two of her men to escort Lauren even though she was fully capable of getting there herself. Lauren suspected that it was because deep down the Ash worried that Lauren wouldn't show up.

The loud music greeted Lauren when she walked into the Dal, adjusting the strap of her medical bag over her shoulder as a nervous habit. From the entry way she could see Bo's figure at the bar, with Trick and Kenzie. She was laughing, for a moment Lauren was transported away from what she had to do for duty and she was able to just appreciate her girlfriend's beauty.

" Lauren, this is a surprise." Trick didn't expect to see Lauren walking into his pub again. But a part of him was very glad to see her, until he spotted her escort and the bag that she was carrying.

" Hey! I thought that you had to work tonight." Bo greeted her smile brightening as she slid her arm around Lauren's waist. Bo was tipsy, she was always doting but when she had had a few drinks that was when she got physical affectionate.

" I am." Lauren replied looking over her shoulder at her escort. She hadn't thought to ask for their names, they were just like any of the Ash's security mostly muscle and very little brain to go along with it. As if on cue the Morrigan's men arrived, and the tension in the air became almost palpable. The Dal was known for entertaining patrons of both the Dark and the Light, it was a place where the two sides could co-exist. Most of the time the Dark stayed with the Dark and the Light with the Light, but occasionally they intermingled, but they were all people of no political affiliation.

" This is neutral territory friends." Trick warned using the authoritative tone that was rarely heard. Seeing both the Light and the Dark tense, expecting a battle to ensure despite Trick's warning.

" It's alright Trick. They're here for me." Lauren said her heart starting to race just a little faster at the thought of going anywhere with two men who could each probably crush her skull with their bare hands.

" What do you mean they're here for you?" Bo demanded standing from her stool and putting herself between Lauren and them.

" The Ash asked me to help the Morrigan with something. It'll be for a couple of hours." Lauren said trying to downplay how much she didn't know about what she was walking into.

" She agreed to that?"

" It's in the interest of peace."

" Screw peace! What about you? Walking into the Morrigan's clutches for what? Are these guys going with you for some sort of protection?" Bo demanded pulling Lauren aside.

" It's part of the deal." Lauren explained, though from the look on Bo's face it was clear that her answer wasn't going to suffice. Bo wanted Lauren to be safe. Lauren didn't like the idea of going to the Morrigan without some sort of protection. But she was officially ordered by Amara to go and see what the Morrigan wanted and report back.

" Bullshit Lauren, you know this is ridiculous. You can't just go and see the Morrigan knowing what she could do to you. She could kill you just for fun, just to spite the Ash. To spite me!" Bo could barely keep her tone at a whisper until Lauren shushed her.

" We can talk about this later. Remember I'm not exactly helpless. Just go back to your drinks and I'll see you at home." Lauren said pushing past Bo and without a single glance backward walking towards the other men. When the door to the Dal closed and things slowly went back to how they were, conversations started up again although the topics were now solely on what had just transpired.

" She can't expect me to just sit here and wait while she goes to the see the Morrigan?" Bo demanded sitting back down and looking at Trick.

" If it is a deal between the Ash and the Morrigan then you are going to have to do just that. The Morrigan won't hurt Lauren, she may be ambitious but she would never risk outright war with the Light." Trick reasoned, he could see the fire in Bo slowly rising and soon she would go storming after Lauren if he couldn't talk some sense into her first.

" Lauren would still be dead and that would kill me." Bo insisted.

" You're worried, that's understandable but trust that Lauren knows what she is doing. Please. You storming into the Morrigan's pent house will do nothing but exasperate things."

" Fine, but if she isn't back in an hour..."

" Bo!"

" Alright, fine. A few hours."

Lauren wasn't surprised when she got into the SUV with the men that worked for the Morrigan that they held out a black blind fold to her. She should be grateful that it wasn't a black bag that would go over her head. It wasn't unexpected, but it was useless everyone who knew what to look for knew where the Morrigan's penthouse was. It was protected with more than security men, just like the Ash's compound. But there would be accesses that they would not want Lauren to see, so she allowed them to tie the blindfold over her eyes and she waited.

Over the course of the drive there was no talking, there was no music, nothing to break through the overwhelmingly awkward silence. When the SUV slowed and finally stopped the door opened and she was escorted out by the elbow. Their grips were rough, and she winced as they pulled her roughly before forcing her to stop while they waited for the elevator.

Finally after what felt like an eternity Lauren heard the Morrigan's voice giving permission to have her blindfold removed. When the blind fold was removed from her eyes Lauren squinted against the brightness of the room, it took a minute for her eyes to adjust before she could actually see anything in the room. The Morrigan sat on a plush couch looking elegant as always.

" You don't look like you need a doctor." The words were out of her mouth before Lauren could stop them. It probably wasn't the best thing that she could have said but when the Morrigan laughed Lauren released the breath she'd been holding.

" Very observant." Evony said waving her servants off until they were alone in the room. The prospect of being alone with the Morrigan was even more unnerving, looking around the penthouse Lauren saw that the Morrigan had spared no expense on luxury in her home. At least that was where Lauren suspected they were, otherwise the Morrigan liked to work in a very cozy environment.

" Why am I here?" Lauren asked setting her bag down.

" I was wondering if we could talk. I thought about making a less than official visit but since you and the Succubus are practically attached at the hip there would be little chance for privacy."

" What do you want to talk about?"

" Sheesh, haven't you heard of small talk? Always straight to business. How boring. Can I get you a drink?"

" No, thank you."

" Well you're having one." The Morrigan didn't often take no for an answer and when she offered someone a drink, if they knew what was best for them then they took it. She poured them both healthy amounts of scotch and set the glass in front of Lauren on the glass coffee table. Lauren watched her move while remaining standing.

" What do you want? I highly doubt you went through all this trouble of procuring me just for small talk."

" Procuring you? Is that your word or is that the Ash's? Are you property?"

" You know well what my position with the Ash is."

Convinced that her conversation wasn't going anywhere Lauren sat on the edge of the leather arm chair and picked up her drink. Maybe it was her unease in the presence of the Morrigan or something else but she hesitated before taking a drink until she saw Evony do so. The hesitation was not lost on Evony and she only smiled. Suspicion was smart when it came to dealing with Fae, and it was high time that Lauren learned that.

" I do. You would think after your help with the Garuda she would loosen the reigns a little hmm?" Evony asked.

" The Ash has been more than generous."

" I know, she's letting you shack up with the Succubus. How's that living arrangement going? I never quite pictured it, you being so…by the book and all." Evony taunted. There was no mistaking that Evony was trying to provoke Lauren into something. But Lauren didn't know what exactly Evony wanted from her, it wasn't a fight. That would be ridiculous. But Evony definitely wanted something and Lauren was growing tired of not knowing what it was.

" It's fine."

" Well, since you aren't in the mood for pleasant conversation I'll get straight to the point. I have an offer for you." Evony stated. Lauren set her glass down on the table and waited to hear what Evony was going to say, though she had a good idea where it was going.

" An offer?"

" Call it a job offer."

" I already have a job."

" More like indentured servitude but I won't argue semantics with you. The fact is the Light treat you like a slave that can be pulled out of the lab whenever they need you to answer a puzzling question. To them you are a walking, talking encyclopedia."

" And to you I'd be what?"

" An advisor. A prized advisor with more wealth than you can imagine. And freedom from the overbearing rule of those stuffy Light Fae." Lauren kept expecting to see Evony laugh and tell her that she was kidding, that there had to be something else. But when she saw that Evony was serious it was Lauren laughing.

" The Dark offering me a job? How desperate have you become that you need to come to me offering me this? What is it you need? You wouldn't come to me if you didn't want or need anything. In the interest of peace I'm sure the Ash wouldn't mind me helping you on a temporary basis."

" I'm offering you a job. Not servitude."

" The Light have offered me protection from your side. After all, we all know what the Dark think of humans. Why suddenly do you want to offer me a job? You'll forgive me if I'm a little suspicious of your motives." Lauren knew that challenging the Morrigan probably wasn't the best thing to do given she didn't have anyone there to protect her should the Morrigan decide it wasn't worth her time.

" While I do tend to think that the Light are a little…lax when it comes to their policies on nosey humans I think that we both agree you are a little different. This is what I am offering you. A salary $150,000 a year, permission to live wherever the hell you please with whomever the hell you please. My own personal protection against any harm from Light or Dark Fae, you'll never want for anything." The Morrigan could see that Lauren was thinking about it. That no matter how righteous Lauren may be she could still be tempted with better offers.

" In exchange for what?" Lauren countered.

" I only ask that you do what I ask, when I ask it, no questions."

" What you ask?"

" There are times when a doctor's touch are needed in sensitive cases."

" You mean torture."

" Call it what you want. I can give you the world, all you need to do is agree to do the things that I ask."

" Your offer is very generous but you know that I won't agree to you. You've wasted your time bringing me here." Lauren said standing up, when she moved the door that she had been brought in opened and her escort returned. Any hope that they were there to return her to the car faded when she saw them blocking her escape.

" I strongly urge you to reconsider." Evony said reclining further as if she were about to watch the show.

" What are you going to do? Anything you do to me will destroy any hope you have at peace with the Light." Lauren said surprising herself with how level her voice remained despite her growing fear that the Morrigan didn't really care about peace.

" Maybe I'm growing a little tired of playing nice."

" That's insane. We just got rid of the Garuda and now all that work you still want to go to war?" Lauren demanded. " And this is how you do it? Appeal to me and try and sway me to joining you? It's going to take more than promises of riches."

" Well I had hoped that the thought of being able to stay with your succubus and being out from under the thumb of the Ash for once in your life would be worth sacrificing your precious morals. Be smart about this Lauren."

" It's better to reign in Hell than to be a servant in Heaven right?" Lauren asked.

" A little crude but sure why not."

" No."

" Reconsider."

" No." Lauren said crossing her arms, her eyes darting to the men who could most definitely break her in half without even trying. Things were deteriorating quickly and Lauren didn't know how much longer she had before the Morrigan ordered her brutes to force Lauren to reconsider.

Like a snake slithering in Lauren saw Vex appear between the two larger men and walk into the room, winking at her while he walked. It didn't take him long to go running back to the Morrigan after they had briefly teamed up. It was when she saw Vex that Lauren knew that things were about to get very unpleasant.

" This is a contract that states that you renounce your allegiance to the Light, and you swear fealty to me and the Dark. Sign it." Lauren looked at the stack of paper that was resting on the table and the Morrigan produced a pen and held it out to Lauren.

" No." Lauren insisted. Knowing that Vex could easily make you sign it, it wouldn't be of her own will but Lauren doubted that with a contract like that it didn't really matter. All the Morrigan had to do was bring the contract to Amara and she wouldn't even need to prove that Lauren signed it willingly.

Seeing Vex crack his knuckles making a show of it, he held out his hand and Lauren expected to feel the pull of his power over her. Strangely when he looked at her, and she stared right back at him with piercing onyx eyes. He tried to use his ability on her, if for no other reason than to make her look away from him. But she didn't, his power seemed completely useless against her. She felt it like a surge of energy, a wave crashing into her that filled her every molecule with a newfound ability. Without knowing how she knew to use it Lauren backed away from the Morrigan and Vex. Turning to the doorway that remained blocked, both large men prepared to stop her with force. She raised her hand and as if she were gripping them with her hand she felt them, as if their bodies were an extension of her hand she had complete dominion over them.

As she had seen Vex do many times she forced one of them into impossibly rigid postures and saw him grimace as a result. Her knowledge of anatomy told her that she was probably close to breaking his backs but she didn't care. How could they bring her here, force her to sign a contract through violence. How dare they?! Her anger fueled her ability until she watched as his eyes widened in pain, and then the sickening snap of what she guessed was his spinal cord. She could have stopped there. She should have stopped there. But she didn't, she watched as she broke every bone in his body. Luckily for him he died well before she was done with him, but she didn't stop until every bone was broken and he fell into a crumbled pile on the floor.

Turning she looked at the Morrigan whose eyes had gone wide with horror and now she hid behind Vex. As if that would save her. Lauren could have continued her assault, she could have killed the Morrigan in that very room and been done with it. But what little of her was left knew that killing the Morrigan was a bad idea. Already, what she had done was incredibly stupid.

She ran. No one stopped her when she left the Morrigan's building. What had happened had probably been communicated down to the security to let her leave the building. She'd committed an act of murder. The weight of her actions had not fully settled on her as she ran through the streets. She had to get to the Ash. She had to explain what had happened and hope that Amara might be able to provide her with some bit of protection from the Morrigan's wrath.

Somewhere in between running from the Morrigan's penthouse in the heart of the city and the Ash's compound it had started to rain. By the time Lauren got to the compound the rain had all but soaked Lauren through. No doubt Amara would be waiting for news of how the meeting went, but Lauren didn't want the whole compound knowing that she was there so she took the back way. Her access code granting her entrance directly into the Ash's home.

" Lauren?" Amara asked seeing Lauren run passed her study. Lauren skid to a halt and looked in to see Amara sitting at one of the arm chairs with a book open. It looked so peaceful and Lauren began to crumble. " What happened?" Amara demanded standing and going to Lauren.

" I killed him." Lauren mumbled. Amara's eyes widened at Lauren's confession though she didn't know exactly what to make of it.

" Who?"

" One of the Morrigan's security. I don't even know how I did it. He was standing in front of me, blocking me from getting out and I just…killed him." Lauren answered.

" Tell me everything."

Lauren relayed what had happened in as much detail as she could manage while she still tried to reconcile the fact that she had killed someone. Directly, and purposefully caused the death of another person. Amara listened intently but Lauren could tell from the look on the Ash's face that she could not expect much protection.

" Lauren, listen to me very carefully. What you have done is punishable by death. Even if what you say happened is true, you still killed a member of the Morrigan's personal guard."

" What do you mean 'if what I say is true'. They tried to force me to renounce my loyalty to the Light. To work for them. You have to help me."

" I can't. This is a political matter now Lauren." Lauren stumbled away from Amara. This was a mistake, she should have gone to Bo. Bo would help her, Bo would protect her from the Morrigan and from anyone else that came after her.

" Don't even think it Lauren, if you involve Bo in this she will be in danger too."

" What do I do? Stay here and wait for the Morrigan to come for me?" Lauren asked, her voice small.

" You have to go."

" Where?"

" Out of the city, out of the Country."

" How?" Lauren watched Amara cross the room towards the book case and pulled at a book that revealed a safe. She entered the code and when it opened Lauren saw a large black duffle bag. Amara grabbed it and brought it to Lauren.

" Take this, Lauren you have to disappear until I can find a way to fix this. The Morrigan will see to it that the High Elders have no choice but to hand you over to the Dark. And you don't want to know the things they will do to you. But I can't help you. Not right now, so you need to go. Here, these are the keys to a car down in the garage. Meant for the evacuation of the Ash. When you are out of the city, you call my cell phone. No one else, not even Bo. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Lauren could only nod. " Say you understand!"

" I understand."

" You have to go now. Don't go to Bo, if any Dark Fae find you in the city they will kill you. Without hesitation and without trial." Amara watched Lauren retreat down to the garage and she could only hope that Lauren would follow her advice. She never should have sent Lauren to the Morrigan.

Hearing her phone begin to ring Amara looked down and saw that it was the Morrigan calling. Amara answered and in the phone call that followed successfully convinced the Morrigan that she had no knowledge of where Lauren was and that she had no idea what had happened. There were veiled threats, and there were not so veiled threats. The Morrigan had issued an order for Lauren's capture, alive or dead it made no difference. And if the Morrigan found out that Amara was hiding Lauren then it would result in war.

" She still hasn't called." Bo said looking at her phone for the thousandth time. It had been four hours since she had seen Lauren walk off with the Morrigan's men.

" These things take time Bo." Trick offered. They all turned when they heard the door slam open and Amara storm in. She walked in with such force that Trick was worried that the glass on the door might break.

" To what do we owe the pleasure Ash?" Trick asked.

" Is she here?" Amara demanded, looking around the otherwise empty pub. Aside from Bo, Kenzie, Trick, Dyson, and Hale there was no one else in the bar.

" Who?" Trick asked.

" I know this is neutral territory Trick but if Lauren is here…" Amara walked in still looking around.

" Lauren's with the Morrigan. You sent here there." Bo replied angrily. Amara looked at Bo but any words she was going to say to her was cut off when the door opened again.

" Tell me it isn't true." Ciara demanded walking in and looking at Amara.

" It's true. I've seen the video myself." Amara offered. Ciara seemed to deflate and her reaction to the cryptic news seemed to have everyone even more confused.

" Anyone want to tell us what's going on?" Bo asked.

" Have you seen Lauren at all in the last few hours?"

" Not since she left here with the Morrigan's men." Bo answered.

" Lauren killed one of the Morrigan's personal guard tonight." Amara said seeing the shock pass over Bo's face.

" No, Lauren wouldn't do that. She's a doctor for Christ's sake." Bo protested defensively.

" I know it's hard to believe but I have seen the surveillance video myself. It's true Bo. And the Morrigan has every Dark Fae in the city looking for Lauren right now, with orders to kill on sight."

" Then we need to go find her!" Bo said grabbing her coat. Amara stopped Bo by grabbing her arm.

" Leave that to us Bo, you will only complicate matters for Lauren."

" Like Hell I'm going to allow you to handle this. You sent her to the Morrigan without any guard. Whatever she may have done was probably justified. But you're just going to hang her out to dry. Anything to protect your precious peace right? Even sacrificing Lauren." If Kenzie hadn't pulled Bo back there wasn't a doubt in the room that Bo would have actually struck Amara.

" That's not true and you know it. I'm trying to find Lauren so that we can sort this whole thing out. But Bo, Lauren was caught on video killing a Dark Fae. Even by Light Fae law that is punishable by death. There is nothing I can do about that. I can only hope that we find Lauren first so that her death will be merciful and quick." Amara explained.

" You're not serious." Kenzie demanded.

" It's the law."

" Fuck the Law, given everything Lauren's done to help you guys and you're just gonna let her hang out to dry?" Hale wasn't usually one to get angry, but hearing Amara think that she was being merciful while she was only hoping that Lauren would be killed quickly instead of saved brought out the ire in him.

" I know you all care for Lauren. That's why I am asking you, if you get contacted by her tell her she has to come to me first."

" Like Hell."

" Can't you and the Morrigan work something out? I mean…"

" I can't! There is nothing that I can do to save her. The Morrigan is going to be searching for her. If Lauren is smart she's half way out of the city right now."

" LEAVING TORONTO"

Lauren saw the sign speed by her while she made her way towards the border. She'd spent a great part of her drive crying but now her tears had all but dried up and she was left with a numbness that encompassed her entire body. How could she have gone from being so happy, and feeling like her life was finally on track to this in such a short period of time?


End file.
